Hello all you CRS owners.
Being an owner of a CRS myself (chassis CRS9513), I have been collecting all sorts of useful bits of information from various sources regarding engine upgrades, better tyres to use, air filters, suspension set-up, good mechanics to use, and many other topics. It seems that I am joined by a number of other CRS owners who are also interested in pepping up their beauty to match the cars looks with hotter performance & better handling. Alan Faulkner-Stevens (AF-S), Rodney Thomas and others in the club have been a great source of information, along with personal experiences with my own car.
Hence I suggest that we establish an area in the forum where CRS members can update the community on news/tips on an ongoing basis. It's not often you get to meet each other in the 'carbon-fibre', so the forum should provide the ideal meeting point.
Some personal tips from recent experience:
1 Air filters & spark plugs:
Many owners are aware that the air filter fitted to the CRS cars is very restrictive, having a large metal strip crossing through the body that blocks an estimated 47% airflow to the engine. Whilst looking for a suitable replacement, AF-S I recommended an ITG air filter. He also suggested replacing the old spark plugs with NGK iridium sparkplugs. The combination of these is a relatively inexpensive performance enhancer that definitely works!
1.1 Spark plugs first.
I undertook the work myself a few weeks ago, and in the process discovered that the original sparkplugs are the same age as the engine (paint from the 1994 engine block was spattered on the plugs) making them a ‘rusty’ 12 years old!! Getting the old plugs out and the new ones in was a 1,5hr challenge because the two at the rear are right against the engine bay sides. Nonetheless, perseverance pays off and saves a few ££ in labour charges. I started her up and the result was quicker rev response and a better idle. It’s nice to have an immediate, noticeable difference. The ideal ones to use for the Ford 302cu.in engine fitted to most CRS cars are the NGK iridium code UR5IX spark plugs (cost £8.14 each, pack of 8 gets free postage).
(Note that some cars used an Australian V8 which may have different requirements)
The website I used is shown below:
http://www.sparkplugs.co.uk/pages/pricing/applications/ngk_petrol_car_applications.asp 1.2 Next, the air filter.
I was originally looking for an A&N air filter (mainly because they’re so well publicised) but was advised by AF-S to go for the ITG Maxogen air filter, part code ITG-JC60-78 (it’s also referred to online as a ‘turbo’ filter). It is suitable for low mileage sports car usage, with an oil-based spray manually applied to the filter to aid dust collection etc (you do this yourself; make sure that you purchase the ITG dust filter spray when you place your order). The unit is easy to fit and does not require any of the old air filter. Because it secures directly onto the air inlet pipe, you do not have the cross-brace of the old filter restricting airflow. Importantly, the unit can be hand washed and re-oiled, making it last a long long long time! (Great when you need to save your money on ever-more expensive petrol).
The difference is even more immediate and very noticeable on the road. Previously the engine struggled to rev past 4.8 rpm. Now, it happily shoots all the way through to 5.500rpm. On the road, overtaking times are reduced and getting to 100mph (theoretically…!) is much quicker.
Info on the filters (manufacturer website, but you cannot buy direct from them) -
http://www.itgairfilters.com/ You can only buy them online through merlinmotorsport.com (note that this link goes to the correct filter type, but not the correct size. Order over the phone and specify the JC68-78 filter + oil –
http://www.merlinmotorsport.com/product_info.php?products_id=176&osCsid=4ef23fc3bdf6f5540a084c62d5ad06d3 Overall, Alan F-S suggested (& I agree) that the combination of new filter and new spark plugs provided the single biggest leap in performance that he had seen on an engine of this type, and all for less than £120 !!!
2. Tyres
My CRS was factory-fitted with the Avon ZZ-1 tyres, which are (frankly) useless, unless of course you enjoy unprovoked, uncontrolled, unexpected slides into the kerb…. Braking on even moderately damp roads is an experience that requires at least 100feet to the nearest stopped vehicle. Heaven forbid if you need to emergency-brake (it’s already happened once. The seats have still not recovered…).
At lasts years’ AC International in Luxembourg, we were all taken to the Goodyear skid-pan to test the cars (and drivers) in both wet and dry conditions. The instructor suggested that I had great ‘summer tyres’ that were useless for wet conditions. Numerous spins (despite the drivers’ best efforts…) confirmed this. I later took the car around the Nurburgring twice in quick succession. Following lots of screeching around tight bends and upon returning to the paddock, I discovered that the tyres were still cold to the touch. One view is that the CRS is too light to adequately push the tyre into the ground; hence the tyre is not reaching the necessary temperature to provide the required grip.
I’ve subsequently done research into finding a suitable replacement tyre, balancing cost with practicality, performance and safety.
I found a solution at
www.blackcircles.com.
Finding the right size tyres for these cars is not easy, with a very limited range of manufacturers providing a matching front/rear set. The helpful chaps at blackcircles did some scouting around and came back with the suggestion that I use Kumho Ecsta 712 tyres. The compound used is slightly softer than most road tyres, being used in track-day and other racing events. However, with the CRS being a very light car, tyre-wear should not be too severe. In addition, the tyres cost about £90 each, considerably cheaper than expected. At this price, you can happily sacrifice longevity for safety & performance. I’ll post a review once the new boots are fitted.
3. Front suspension
The front suspension mountings on the CRS cars were modified by AC from the original MKIV design. Cost savings perhaps? This has resulted in some suspension mounting failures in some CRS's, mainly cracks within the weld structure that have required additional (and sometimes remedial) bracing to be fitted to cars. The welds done on the chassis are also very poor. The welds on the original brackets are surface-only, with minimal bind with the underlying metal. Rodney Thomas had his done a few years ago, and I subsequently had mine done when signs of cracks appeared in the welds. AC cars (before they finally disappeared) were slow to acknowledge the issue, and never actually rectified the problem on any of the cars. Hence, if this is the first time that you’ve heard about this problem (it was mentioned in ACtion last year), I suggest that you make contact and/or take a careful look at your car.
4. CRS gathering
Is anyone interested in arranging a CRS-specific gathering, preferably somewhere near London? There were reportedly 37 chassis manufactured, of which 35 cars were assembled (I saw the remaining two chassis in storage at Frimley shortly before AC cars headed to Malta…. Rumour suggested that the CRS owned by Damon Hill’s sports-car rental company was written off, reducing the number to 34 cars. (Note that other reports suggest that it was merely damaged and rectified; neither version has been verified). Either way, we have a car that is very rare! Rodney Thomas (registrar of the CRS cobras) does not have the contact details for about 15 cars (correct me if I am wrong Rodney) as some owners prefer to remain anonymous. Hence, there are a large number of CRS cobras (& owners) that would benefit from a gathering to share notes / compare cars. I know that there are local AC club gatherings on a monthly basis buy very few CRS’s are in the same area. To date, I’ve only seen about 6/7 of them at various club meets. Any interest in a Sunday drive? I live in SW London (Twickenham) and frequently head west / south of the M25
5. Before I finish, you may have already seen my car. It’s on the cover of the February 2006 ACtion magazine. Gorgeous!
6. I look forward to hearing from you all and wish the forum good luck – well done to everyone that has made it happen!
Cheers
Bruce
